Luminescence is the emission of light by a substance that does not result from heat. Luminescence may be caused by chemical reactions, electrical energy, subatomic motions, stress on a crystal, etc.
Luminescent materials, such as fluorescent materials, phosphorescent materials, and bioluminescent materials, naturally emit light at a particular wavelength. Environmental influences affect the intensity of the light emitted by luminescent materials. In particular, certain environmental influences, such as the presence of gases, cause the intensity of light emitted by certain luminescent materials to decrease.
While there are systems available for detecting a change in the illumination of light emitted by luminescent materials due to environmental influences, such systems typically require a chamber enclosing a luminescent material, a light source, and a light detector. Detection of an environmental influence, such as a gas, on the luminescent material is detected within the chamber. Such systems are complicated and cumbersome to use. Such systems also are relatively large in size and are therefore limited to use in larger form factor applications where their size can be accommodated.
A need exists for compact systems, compact devices, and methods for sensing luminescence due to environmental influences that are easy to use.